The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1887-08-13
OANnERON
&edeeEning the swamp Land
and Bringing ID HntO Culti-
walton.

Timcs Democrat, August1,
While one Of the largest parishes 10 the
State, Cameron possesses comparatively
small population, large portion Of II being
sea marsh While excellent for cattle at Ger.
tain seasons Of the year, It was thought that
this sea marsh was not redeemahle into eulti-
vable land. This has latterly been shown 10
be an error, The purchare Of the Watkins
fyndieate Of nearly million acres OF swamp
lands includes a large portion Of Cameron
parish, Work on this marsh has been won
detuly successful, and q number of acres
have been redeemed and found 10 be well
adapted to the cultivation Of rice and other
crops.
That portion Of Cameron which isnot sea
marsh Is equally divided between thelive oak
ridges that line the Gulf and Mermentau river
and the arande Oheniere, among which
ridges was that at Radford, or Johnson's
Bayou, where last year occurred that awful
storm that swept over the ridge and dc
stFoyed a large proportion Of the population,
and the Black Prairie, lying IN the northern
portion of the parish, on Lakes GGlcasieu and
Mermentau, To these should be added
blackberry island, in the western part Of
Lake Galeasieu a portion of st. Johns Is
land, in the southern part Of the same lake.
and few points along Sabine Pass and Black
Bayou, The height of these points over the
level OF the sea varies from four to ten feet,
The soil Of Cameron is rich sandy loan,
formed principally by the decomposition OF
vegetable matter, ID some portions, how
ever, what Ia known as black lands are found,
all Of which are remarkably rich and produce
tive Only about one-fourth of the tillable
land OF the parish is now under cultivation,
A much larger amount could be reclaimed at
little cost.
It Is estimated that there are about 90, 900
acres OF land In the parish belonging TO the
Federal Government, open to entry under
the homestead acts, The State lands which
formerly occupied most of the parish have
been taken up by the Watkins purchase, Un-
improved lands, suitable for cultivation, can
be purchased for from S3 to $40 Improved
lands vary greatly IN price, depending on the
improvements on them. They rent for from
W. 70 "a per acre,
The principal productions OF Cameron are
cattle, cotton, rice sugar, corn, oranges, figs
aud bananas, The yield Of the various crops
Is as follows; Cotton, one-third Of a bale to
the acTei sqgar-cane, onerthiTd OF hogshead;
corn, lh bushels; sweet potatoes, 15 bushels,
and rice, 18 barrels, Other field crops such
as onions beans peas, tobacco, pumpkins,
melons, tlFnps and Cabbages, arc success
fully raised for home consumption. All
kinds Of seIni-tropiGal fruits also fourish,
especially oranges, bananas, figs, lemons,
grapes, peaches, ounces, pears and plums
Orange culture has been tried on d large
Many Of them, however, were seriously In
iured Of killed by the scale insect, but this is
said to have latteflY disappeared,
The timber Of the parish which consists
mainly of cypress and Hive oak, Is small In
extent. The nearness to Lake Charles allows
the CameFonians 10 secure as much lumber
as they need 9t the very lowest rates.
Nearly all the labor Of the parish Is white,
which is greatly preferred to colored labor
Wages are high. When working on the
share system tbe tenant Is expected to give
ane-iOurth Of the crop II be furnishes his own
team, and one-half IL the same is furnished
hy the land owner
The only town in the parish Is the village
of LeesbuTg.
The climate is the most equable in LouisI-
ana, a freeze being unknown. 1t ranges
from 50 Q to 60 2 In winter and from 10 2 TO
80 : IN summer, which is still further modified
by the cool breGzes that always blow frorn
the Gulf,
Cameron Is In easy communication with
all markets being cut up with a number Of
naFigable baYQus, among which are the Cal
easien and Mermentau rivers, Johnson's
Bayou, Black Bayou, White Lake and other
streams. Produce can thus be shipped 10
market BY schooner direct from any plants-
tion.
Cameron Is well adapted TO stock and hog
raising, and does quite q big business 10 this
line. The hogs are turned out In the sWamps
In the winter, where they get acorns and nuts
to cat. The cattle also run Wild In these
woods, and only driven up at seasons OF the
year when # 10 necessary to pen them, The
dried marsh furnishes the very best hay, and
there.is no time Of the year when the iarmer
has TO purchase or raise provisions for his
stock
Three valuable products Of Cameron should
not be forgotten = fish, oysters and game.
The waters Of the parish contain the finest
varieties Of fish, and large numbers Of red
fish are caught on the Cameron coast. The
bayous also contain large amounts Of oysters
Of the best varieties, Game 10 abundant In
the Cameron swamps, which during the
proper season arc filed with ducks and all
the oher varieties o. game,